Ball teeing device



Feb- 20, 1934- B. J. UCKINGHAM BALL TEEING DEVICE INVIA/TOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 20, 1934. B. J. BUCKINGHAM BALL TEEING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR Feb 20, 1934- B. J. BUCKINGHAM BALL TEEING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 20, 1934 barren stares sarsNr oFFIcE 11 Claims.

dent or other operator to maintain his stance While driving numerous successfully teed balls and eliminates the work and effort of repeatedly stooping over to tee the ball.

It is well known that no ball reservoir has previously been devised from which the balls will run uninterruptedly by gravity due to clogging and locking against each other due to their corrugated surfaces. My invention provides means which eliminate this objectionable feature by provision of a helical reservoir in which the balls follow each other, thereby avoiding vthe possibility of locking or clogging about a ballV outlet.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a portable ball teeing device which is highly satisfactory for quickly and easily teeing balls in golf practice courses, gymnasiums, and other places. and which includes a ball race permitting self-cleansing of the balls through frictional contact between the balls and the ball race and also an uninterrupted'feeding of the balls from a spiral reservoir to the ball race. Y

A further object oi my invention is the provision of a ball teeing device which is portable and which may be quickly and conveniently set in or removed from the ground so that it may be placed out of reach of thieves during the night, and which at the same time sits rmly upon the earths surface due to action of ground engaging members andY removable attachingV means.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a portable teeing device having a yieldable and removable tee and a tiltable ball race, one end of which race isadapted to be moved horizontally and downwardly by the operator to cause the foremost ball in the race to be discharged upon a hexible tee.

A further object .of my invention is the provision of a'ball teeing device including a ball race terminating at its receiving end in an integral helix which is adapted to hold ay substantial number of balls and the other end of said bali race having means adapted to direct a discharged ball upon a flexible tee when the race is tilted downwardly, said racc cooperating with means actuable by said tilting movement of said ball race adapted to release the foremost ball in said ball race from locked position.

A further object'of my invention is the provision of a teeing device including an inclined ball race which is swivelly and tiltably mounted upon a portable frame so that the player may move said race horizontally and downwardly to cause a ball to be discharged upon a flexible tee, in cooperation with means whereby said race is returned to upper position and in a horizontal arcuate path away from said tee.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a ball teeing device having a helical reservoir discharging into an inclined ball race, said ball race being tiltable and embodying means adapted to release the foremost ball in said race to discharge the .same on a flexible tee in cooperation with yieldable means mounted above said tee to prevent injury to golf clubs.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures `in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my teeing device mounted in proper position on the ground and showing theV ball race in a position to be lowered to release theY foremost ball.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the swivel member and means through which the ball race is tiltableand movable horizontally.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the lower part of my device.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line rv-Iv of Fig. 2. y Y

Fig. .5 is an enlarged top plan view ,of the, mounting plate taken on line V--V of Figli.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the bali race in position above the tee and showing its ball teeing position in dotted lines.

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the forward portion or" the ball race and cup member above the ball race outlet.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspectiveview of the yieldable tee, removed from the frame of the device.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates a cross shaped metal base having arms 11 and 12 extending in opposite directions as shown in Fig. l. The arms 12 of the base 10 have apertures formed in the ends thereof which are adapted to receive ground stakes 13 as shown in Fig. 1. Said arms are formed integral with said base to provide means whereby the base 10 may be quickly and easily mounted in the earths surface so that it will not move in any direction during operation of my device. One of the arms 11 has a bifurcated end opening with the slot longitudinal of said arm, and the other arm 12 has a recess at its end to provide convenient means to more securely mount said base on the earths surface against either horizontal or vertical movement. Suitable headed metal stakes 13 are adapted to be driven through apertures in the arms 12 and into the earth as shown in Fig. 1. A stake 1li having a removable screw 15 may be permanently driven into the earth at a point beneath the bifurcation of the arm 1l, and likewise a stake 14' having a removable headed screw is driven beneath the recess of the second arm 12 as shown in Fig. 1. The stakes 14 and 14 may be left permanently in the ground and the whole device may be quickly and easily placed in position by rst placing the bifurcated end of arm 11 beneath the head of the screw in stake 14 and swinging the device clockwise so that the recess of the arm l2 will engage beneath the head of the screw in stake 14', after which the stakes 13 may be driven downwardly to securely hold the base and the whole device in rigid position.

Securely mounted to the upper surface of the base 10 at a point between the center of said base and one end. of the base 10 is a metal post 16 which has an upper reduced portion 17 as shown in Fig. 3. The annular shoulder of the post 16 is cut away for a portion of its circumference (Fig. 5) to form an annular recess 18 for a purpose which will be apparent hereafter, and the reduced end 17 of the post 16 has an annular groove 19 for a purpose which will be explained hereafter.

A metal cylinder 20, having abutment 22 formed on its lower periphery and an enlarged integral ear 21 formed on its upper periphery, is adapted to rotate about the end of post 16, the abutment 22 being movable within the limits of the arcuate recess 18, the ends thereof providing stops to limit the rotation of the cylinder 20 to predetermined distances. The integral ear 21 has a transverse aperture and provides a sup-- port on which a bracket 23 is hingedly pivoted by means of a bolt 24 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The bracket 23 has a bifurcated upper end to form enlarged mounting arms, each of said arms having transverse apertures, and said bracket 23 also having a transverse aperture therethrough at a point of juncture of said arms. The rods of a ball race 25 are adapted to be securely mounted in the apertures of the bracket 24, preferably by Welding the same in permanent position to prevent longitudinal movement of said rods.

The ball race 25 comprises three metal rods which are connected together so that two rods form the sides of said race and the bottom rod forms its ball support, said rods being connected together by a plurality of U-shaped members 26 through each of which members 26 the rods of the ball race pass as clearly shown in Fig. l. The U-shaped members 26 and the supporting arms of the bracket 23 are of a size so that the ball race will be just wide enough to permit one ball to roll down the race at a time.

As shown in Fig. 8, a metal plate 27 having an enlongated slot therein is secured in substantially horizontal position to the edge of one of the side rods of the ball race 25. A metal post 26' having an upper reduced end is mounted in proper position to one of the arms of the base 10, the lower end of said post 26 being secured to said base by welding or the like. The post and sloted members just described comprise efficient additional means to prevent downward manually impelled movement of the ball race prior to the time when the ball race is in correct ball teeing position with respect to the ball tee. When the ball race 25 has been moved manually to the correct position the slotted member 27 will descend about the post 25 and said post will guide the downward position of the ball race and attached parts to insure that it is vertical and that a ball will not be released until the proper time, as hereinafter described.

The ball receiving end of the ball race is formed into a helix, the rods being held together by U- shaped metal members 26 at spaced intervals to a point near the uppermost ball receiving position of the helical portion of said race. The end of the rods at the upper end of said helical race are preferably secured together by a metal plate 27, through the apertures of which the ends of the rods pass and are securely welded. Said metal plate 27 also forms a stop for any balls which might be forced thereagainst to prevent same from rolling out of the race by misdirected manual force. The ball race is of a length so that the supporting bracket 23 is at a point just back of its longitudinal center.

A metal cylindrical ball discharging member 28 having substantially one-half of its upper portion cut away and carrying three bosses 29, is secured on the outlet end of said ball race in the manner shown in Fig. l. The upper portion of said cylinder which is not cut away and carrying one of the bosses 29 has securely mounted therein the end of the bottom rod of the race 25, while the two bosses 29 on the opposite sides of the semi-cylindrical portion of said member 28 have securely mounted therein the ends of the side rods of said race.

A cup 30 having a concave bottom and interior cushion is formed integral with the ball outlet member 28 to provide means whereby an operator may place the head of his goif club into said cup to swing said race in the manner hereafter described.

It will be apparent that the construction so far described will permit the ball race to be moved horizontally in an arcuate direction of about ninety degrees due to the engagement of the abutment 22 of the cylindrical member 20 with the shoulders of the recess 18 of the post 16, the important feature of this horizontal movement being to place the ball race out of the range of an inexperienced golf players club and in a position substantially parallel to the arc formed by the players swinging club.

I will now describe the means to releasably lock the foremost ball of the race and the means whereby the ball will be selectively discharged by the operator. A mounting block 3l is secured by screws or the like to the bottom rod of the ball race 25 so that its main portion will extend downwardly. The under side of the block 3l has an aperture in which is threaded a screw 32 which forms a pivot for a short lever 33. Secured 150 on one end of the lever 33 by meansof a screw or the like is an arcuate shaped ball engaging member 34 which is of'a length so that the arcuate portion thereof will 'normally engage the surface of a ball in the ball race 25 to releasably hold said ball between said member 34 and the race rod. The opposite endof the lever 33 is pivotally connected to one end of Va connecting rod 35, the other end of said rod being pivoted by a screw on one side of the metal cylinder 20 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in a position so that the rod 35 will be substantially parallel to the bolt 24. It will be apparent that due to the fact that the ball race is tiltable as well as movable horizontally, downward movement of the ball outlet member 28 will cause the Vlever 33 to be' moved to the dotted line positions shown in Figs. 6 and '7, thereby moving the arcuate ball locking member 33 in a direction opposite to the forward movement of the ball, and thereby permitting the locked foremost ball to freely pass the forwardV end of the member 33 to roll through the outlet member 28. When this occurs the ball race is in the ball discharging position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 wherein the ball will be placed upon a ilexible tee hereafter described. Due to the fact that the reservoirend of said ball race is heavier than the discharge end, the discharge end will be moved upwardly when the player removes his club from the cup 30.' Upon reaching such extreme upper positionV the player need merely to push the cup in clockwise direction to approximately ninety degrees until the ball race is substantially parallel to the arc of a normally swinging club. As the ball race rises from its ball discharging position as hertofore described the lever 30 is moved from the dotted line position shown in Fig. l to ball locking position wherein the arcuate member 34 kis in its extreme forward position and wherein the forward portion of said member 34 locks the succeeding ball which has rolled thereagainst.

` The flexible tee above described upon which the ball is discharged by the ball teeing device and from which it is struck by the player comprises a rubber tube 36 which is doubled by being inverted upon itself so that its ball contact end will be held together by the fold as shown in Fig. 8. The edges of the rubber tubing are made to coincide and are removably mounted on the inside of a coupling 37 preferably of metal by means of a taperedplug, not shown, said plug being inserted from above to pinch the lower portions or" the rubber tubing against the inner surface of the coupling 37. One end of a bolt (not shown) passes through the plug 38 and is secured in place by a threaded nut on its lower end to a cross bar formed within the coupling 37 as clearly shown in Fig. 9. The tee above described, with-its attached parts, is removably mounted on the top of a stake 41 comprising a section of metal piping which is pointed at its lower end. The stake 4l is driven into the ground a short distance beneath the ground surface and may remain there permanently, a1- though permitting convenient removal and replacement of the flexible tee above described.Y

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I there-- fore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the Vprior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a ball teeing device, a frame, a spindle rotatively mounted on said frame; a ball race mounted on said spindle and being movable vertically and horizontally said ball race having a helical receiving end and a dischargeport, means on said spindle adapted to normally maintain said ball race in inclined position; means adjacent the 'outlet port of said raceadapted to intermittently lock a ball, and means connecting said ball locking means and said spindle whereby said ball locking means will be actuated to release a ball when said race is titled downwardly.

2. A ball teeing device comprising a frame; Va rotatable swivel member mounted substantially perpendicularly in. said frame; a supporting member hinged to the upper portion of saidv swivel member; a stud on said supporting member; a track attached to said frame, said stud adapted to ride on said track; a ball race securely mounted in said supporting member so that its ends extend on opposite sides thereof7 the receiving end of said ball race being helical; a ball stopping and discharging member at the discharge end of said race; a cup-shaped'club'receiving member integral with said ball discharge member; ball locking means mounted on said ball race adjacent the ball discharge adapted to intermittently lock the foremost ball; means connecting said swivel member and said ball locking means whereby downward movement of the dischargev end of said ball race will unlock the foremost ball, and a flexible tee mounted lbelow the point of discharge adapted to receivey a discharged ball.

3. A'ball teeing device comprising a frame;V a

rotatable swivel member mounted substantially perpendicularly in said frame; a supporting member hinged to the upper Vportion Vof said swivel member; a stud on said supporting member; a track attached to said frame, said stud adapted to ride on said track; a ball race secure- 13,

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ly mounted in said supporting member so that its ends extend on opposite sides thereof, the receiving end of said ball race being helical; a ball Ystopping and discharging member at the discharge end of said race; a cup-shaped club rei ceiving member integral Vwith Vsaid ball discharge member; releasable ball locking means mounted adjacent the discharge end of said ball race; a rod connecting said post and said ball locking means, downward movement of the for- 1 ward end of the ball race being adapted to release the foremost ball to discharge the same, and means adapted to swing said ball race and connected parts on said post to a position at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of said frame.

. 4. A ball teeing device comprising a frame; a rotatable swivel member mounted substantially perpendicularly in said frame; a supporting member hinged to the upper portion of said swivel member; a stud on said supporting member; a track attached to said frame, said stud adapted to ride on said track; a ball race securely mounted in said supporting member so that its ends extend on opposite sides thereof, the receiving end of said ball race being helical; a ball stopping and discharging member at the discharge end of saidrace; a cup-shaped club receiving member integral with said ball discharge member; ball locking and releasing means pivotally mounted on said race adjacent its discharge end, and a lever having one end connected to` said post and the other end to said ball locking end of said ball race to a teeing position being adapted to unlock the foremost ball and lock the iso succeeding ball, thereby permitting such foremost ball to be teed and the remainder of said balls to roll along said inclined race.

5. A ball teeing device comprising a frame; a yieldable tee removably mounted in one end of said frame; an upright hinged swivel member rotatably mounted in said frame; a ball race secured to said swivel member and being movable vertically and horizontally, the receiving end of said ball race terminating in a helix adapted to receive balls; a ball stopping and discharging member at the low side of said ball race; means to partially retard the speed of horizontal movement or said ball race; means on said swivel member to limit the horizontal travel of said ball race, and movable means adjacent the discharge end oi said ball race adapted to intermittently release the foremost ball and lock the succeeding ball, said movable means being actuated by downward movement of the discharge end of said ball race.

6. A ball teeing device comprising a frame; a yieldable tee removably mounted in one end of said frame; an upright hinged swivel member rotatably mounted in said frame; a ball race secured in said swivel member and being movable vertically and horizontally, the upper and receiving end of said ball race terminating in a helix adapted to receive balls; a ball stopping and discharging member at the low side of said ball race; an upwardly opening cup integral with said ball stopping member; retractable means mounted on said race adjacent the outlet member adapted to normally lock the foremost ball; means connecting said rotatable swivel member and said ball locking means adapted to be actuated by downward movement of the discharge end of said ball race to release said ball lock, and means mounted adjacent said post adapted to maintain the ball race in upper position at all points in its horizontal positions except when the discharge member is immediately above. said yieldable tee.

7. A ball teeing device comprising a frame; a yieldable tee removably mounted in one end of said frame; an upright swivel member rotatably mounted in said frame; a ball race secured to said swivel member at a point intermediate its ends, said ball race being movable horizontally and vertically; a stud on the upper portion of said swivel member; a track member secured about said swivel member, said stud being adapted to ride on said track member to hold said ball race in upper position except when said ball race is above said tee; a helical ball reservoir formed integral with said ball race and suspended thereby; a ball stopping and discharging member at the outlet end of said ball race; means on said ball race adapted to lock the foremost ball, and means cooperating with said swivel member adapted to release said ball locking means to release the foremost ball and to lock the following ball when the discharge end of said race is moved downwardly.

8. A ball teeing device comprising a frame having downwardly projecting ground engaging members; a yieldable tee removably mounted adjacent said frame; a movable element about said yieldable tee, said tee projecting therethrough; a hub mounted in the opposite end of said frame and extending upwardly; a swivel member pivotally and rotatably mounted in said hub, said swivel member including an upper hinged portion; a transversely extending stud in said upper hinged portion; an arcuate track about said swivel member, said lug adapted to ride on said track; a ball race secured at substantially its center to the upper hinged portion of said swivel member, said ball race having its ball receiving end terminating in a helix and its discharge end in a downwardly extending opening, said race being tiltable and movable horizontally; a ball locking member pivoted on said race adjacent the discharge outlet; a rod having one end connected to said ball lock and its other end connected to said swivel member, the downward movement of the discharge end of said ball race being adapted to unlock said ball lock to release the foremost ball, and means adapted to return said race to upper position to immediately cause said ball lock to engage the following ball, the downward movement of said ball race being adapted to position a released ball on said tee.

9. A ball teeing device comprising a base; a vertical standard; a swivel member rotatable on said standard; a ball race having a helical receiving portion and a discharge opening at the end opposite said receiving end, said race being tiltable and movable horizontally; a flexible tee below said ball discharge opening, and means adapted to intermittently and releasably hold the foremost ball in said race and adapted to release said foremost ball when said race is tilted downwardly.

ll). A ball teeing device comprising a frame; a standard mounted substantially perpendicular thereto; a swivel member rotatable about said standard; a transversely projecting stud on the upper portion of said swivel member; an arcuate track for said stud member; a ball race mounted in the upper portion of said swivel member, the receiving end of said ball race comprising a helix and the upper end of said race having a discharge opening; a ball stopping and discharging member attached to the lower side of said ball race, said track having a recess at one end thereof to permit downward movement of the discharge end of said ball race whereby said recess permits downward movement of said stud, and releasable means attached to said ball race adjacent the discharge opening adapted to be actuated by downward movement of said ball race to release the foremost ball and lock the next ball which rolls thereagainst.

11. A ball teeing device comprising a base; a vertical standard; a swivel member rotatable on said standard; a ball race having a helical receiving portion and a discharge opening at the end opposite said receiving end, said race being tiltable and movable horizontally, and means adapted to intermittently and releasably hold the foremost ball in said race and adapted to release said foremost ball when said race is tilted downwardly.

BENJAMIN J. BUCKINGHAM. 

